Bengaluru Tunnel Road May Trigger 16 Gridlocks, Say Traffic Experts
The proposed Rs 22,000-crore tunnel road in Bengaluru, aimed at easing congestion between Hebbal and Silk Board, may instead deepen traffic woes. According to the final Detailed Project Report (DPR), the 16.68-km tunnel could introduce 16 new gridlock points at just eight entry and exit ramps. These ramps are projected to intensify existing traffic bottlenecks in already congested areas like Freedom Park, IISc, Maharani College Junction, and Hosur Road. The tunnel project, while billed as a solution, may inadvertently worsen the city’s surface-level movement, especially in key zones.
Despite its massive budget and strategic positioning, the DPR makes no estimate of the actual volume of traffic the tunnel is expected to absorb. This absence of data raises serious questions about the infrastructure’s long-term feasibility. The added average travel distance of 2.23 km per commuter due to ramp placement suggests inefficient planning. The merging traffic at ramps—1.14 km at entry and 1.09 km at exit—could slow down flow and cause additional congestion at intersections, contradicting the project’s stated purpose. Experts caution that adding new pressure points without resolving existing choke zones could cripple central roadways further. With surface traffic already overstressed at nodal junctions such as Hebbal Flyover and Wilson Garden, urban planners argue that tunnelling without holistic decongestion strategies may only shift the problem underground.
Moreover, the feasibility report fails to outline eco-mobility integration or multimodal solutions, sidelining sustainability goals that urban infrastructure must ideally meet today. Residents and civic observers are raising equity concerns too. The project appears to favour motor vehicle users while neglecting pedestrian and public transport commuters, whose everyday mobility challenges remain unaddressed. With no mention of last-mile connectivity or pollution control within the tunnel design, citizens fear that the intervention prioritises speed over sustainable city planning. The absence of environmental and social impact assessments in the public domain further clouds transparency.
In a city struggling with vehicular overload, infrastructure solutions need to work beyond optics. Without clarity on traffic diversion, emissions reduction, or inclusive access, Bengaluru’s tunnel road risks becoming a costly misstep. Civic bodies must re-evaluate the project’s alignment with long-term mobility plans and carbon neutrality targets, ensuring it serves people—not just cars.
